1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention pertains to cooking utensils which serve as vessels for heating solids and liquids and have means to accumulate and recirculate heat about the sides of the vessel as well as underneath it.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The prior art is replete with innovative designs for cookware. The prior art closest to the disclosure herein is primarily in the field of steam-type cooking utensils and deep-fry type cooking utensils.
In particular, Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,154,391 discloses a deep fat frier which provides a cold spot by encasing a kettle within a housing. Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 861,297, discloses a roasting pan with an outer supporting flange to raise the bottom of the pan off the source of heat. Anetsberger, U.S. Pat. No. 2,061,533 discloses a deep fat frier enclosed in a housing.
Nielsen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,193, discloses a kettle enclosed within a larger housing to trap heat around the sides of the kettle.
The basic problem with the prior art devices disclosed above and others similar to them is that they are primarily special purpose cooking utensils and their specific design and construction is limited by the application which they serve. The present disclosure pertains to a general purpose cooking utensil which is designed to capture and recirculate most of the heat radiated by a heating element and utilize that heat to cook more efficiently. The design permits variations to achieve some of the special purpose features of prior art devices and also permits easy cleaning in dishwashing machines.